


Decision of the Heart

by CurryFury13



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Bakery AU, Gen, Mafia AU, unlikely friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:41:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28719795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CurryFury13/pseuds/CurryFury13
Summary: Xaldin leaves a life filled with regret behind, yet someone is knocking at his door trying to bring him back.
Kudos: 2





	Decision of the Heart

**Author's Note:**

> My contribution to the Xaldin Zine. It was a joy to work on be a part of! Xaldin deserves all the love. Enjoy!

Rays of the rising sun peeked through the curtains, dousing the quiet bakery in its golden warmth. Pastries of various shapes and sizes lined the glass covered cases set up in front of the paned windows, each one caringly crafted and decorated to entice the sweet tooth of children and adults alike. Lace tablecloths draped over three circular tables situated inside, each with a glass vase in the center and a single red rose stemming out. 

The shop itself was empty; yet in the back, behind the counters of sweet treats, there was a single light shining from the kitchen. There was no voice, no sweet song humming to fill the silence, just the sound of a ticking clock and the occasional utensil being set on top of the counter by Xaldin. Thick black dreads of hair were tied back, keeping them out of his face as his violet eyes focused on his meticulous work. A layered cake was before him, iced with smooth chocolate and adorned with hand-crafted roses of various hues of red.

His eyes narrowed as he iced a set of petals to finish off the largest rose of all. It was precise and delicate in nature, seemingly life-like even though it was made entirely of sugar. Xaldin let out a breath when he had finished, silently admiring his handiwork before placing the rose atop of the cake. He wiped his hands along his chocolate stained apron, stepping back to look around the kitchen. 

All of it was familiar to him. When he was a child, he had wandered through the bakery, weaving between the legs of his family in hopes of swiping a treat for himself before he was shooed out to play. Then as a young man, being coerced into working and helping his father with readying the shop. The multiple lessons of decorating and the care required to create something special, all of it still rang in his heart-- stronger now since he was the only one that remained from his family. 

In a small way, he wished he had given more thought and appreciation towards his father. Towards the dedication and the passion that was poured into the business. Instead, he had gotten caught up in the wrong people. He had made mistakes, too many to count. His family had begged him to come home, to make things right, but instead he buried himself in the new path that had only led to ruin. 

He still remembered the day he had been initiated into the Organization. A ring of crime that he had never in his life expected to fall prey to. Yet, he had, along with twelve others that were manipulated and forced to take part in unspeakable things. Years, decades, lives, all of it lost in the void that had become Xaldin’s reality. He had sunk too far, fallen too deep, to ever have hopes of climbing back into a normal life. 

That was… until he received the news of his father’s death. 

Somehow, that was what shook him the most. The news that someone that had loved and deeply cared for him, had died alone, never having the chance to see his long lost son returned to him before the end. Xaldin had known his father was ill. He kept hesitating, waiting, giving internal excuses of why it wasn’t the right time to see him. Perhaps, part of him was ashamed. 

Why would his father want to see a failure?

Regardless, it was now too late. The unspoken words, the sentiments, they would forever be left unsaid. The only thing that remained was the bakery. A family business that his father had often wished Xaldin to take over someday; something Xaldin himself had often resented in his early years of adulthood. Now however, he seemed to have a new appreciation.

It was, after all, the very thing that helped him begin anew. 

Life had become a blur after the news of his father’s passing had reached his ears. The bakery, the family’s legacy, was now in his hands. And how was he preserving it? By squandering his life in the pits of crime. 

Not for a moment longer. 

That night, Xaldin had slipped away. It was reckless, perhaps selfish even, but he could not hide any longer. It had only been a month since then. The bakery had reignited a life inside of him. It brought back memories he had long buried away, emotions he had ignored and neglected. This was the new beginning he needed. 

It was a surreal experience at first. Being back in his childhood home, making cakes and filling pastries that used to bring him nothing more than restless frustration. Now, it brought him a fulfilling sense of calm. When he was preparing the baked goods for the day, the rest of the world flitted away-- where even the darkest thoughts couldn’t reach him. 

A sudden clatter of noise shook Xaldin from his reminiscent thoughts, his attention darting towards the back door where the door knob was being rattled. 

His eyes narrowed, his hand instinctively reaching for a long, metal lance that he kept leaned up against the doorway leading into the shop. It fit perfectly in his grasp, a familiar grip that threatened to flood his mind with mistakes he had committed using this weapon. Exhaling sharply, he ignored the pang of guilt and focused on the door as he approached with caution. 

The lock unlatched and Xaldin swung open the door with considerable strength, forcing it from the hands of the intruder. The door hit the back wall with a bang, a thin black lockpick still stuck inside the knob. With a yelp, the intruder stumbled back, vibrant red spikes of hair bouncing around him before his bright, green eyes met with Xaldin’s dark glaring ones. Xaldin’s brow quirked up, his gaze drifting over the intruder that wore a familiar black coat that only members of the Organization wore. 

With a heavy sigh, Xaldin relaxed his stance, his lance resting at his side.

“Axel,” he greeted the man with a dead toned voice, unamused as Axel got back onto his feet and sent him a signature smirk. 

“Long time no see, Xaldin,” Axel saluted, placing one of his hands along his hip as his other hand pointed towards his head. “Good to see you still got me memorized.”

Axel waited for Xaldin to reply or react in any way, but when there was nothing in response he cleared his throat, ruffling his hand through his spikes of hair. 

“Anywaaay, you might be wondering why I’m trying to break into your little home base,” he tried to recover, leaning on his toes to look past Xaldin into the kitchen. “Looks great, by the way. A little weird for a guy like you, but--”

“Leave, Axel,” Xaldin interrupted him, grabbing the door and closing it before Axel put his hand against it and stopped him.

“Wait, wait, hold on,” Axel pleaded with him, letting out a breath and hanging his head forward before continuing with a softer, more serious tone, “Just-- hear me out, alright?”

Xaldin’s frown deepened, his eyes diverting away as he recalled all the jobs he and Axel had done together. He, along with the others, had been left behind when Xaldin fled the Organization in the middle of the night. It was foolish of Xaldin to believe they wouldn’t come after him. Out of all the Members, he supposed Axel would be the one most likely to be reasoned with. 

Without saying anything, Xaldin stepped back, pulling the door open and motioning his head inside. Axel’s smirk returned, his arms crossing as he walked past and spun around to take in the kitchen. 

“Not bad,” Axel told him, peeking into the bakery itself and eyeing the sweets. “Somehow it doesn’t surprise me that you’ve been hiding baking skills all these years.”

“Why are you here, Axel?” Xaldin asked, picking up the chocolate cake he had finished decorating and bringing it out into the main shop. 

Axel didn’t reply at first. He watched Xaldin place the cake behind the case of glass, before his eyes drifted away towards the tables and the roses stemming out from the vases. He leaned back against the doorway, arms crossed as his smirk twisted into a thin frown. 

“It’s Xemnas,” he spoke up, his eyes downcast towards the wooden panelled floor. “He wasn’t too thrilled about you disappearing like you did.”

“I would be surprised if he was,” Xaldin replied, readying various things around the shop before it opened. 

“Yeah, well you should be thankful he didn’t come here instead of me,” Axel told him, looking up and watching Xaldin work. “He would have had you taken out if it wasn’t for Lexaeus.”

Xaldin paused, the mention of his one and only friend in the Organization causing his heart to sink. The person he regretted abandoning the most. 

Taking in a breath, he asked, “What’s become of Laxaeus?”

“Ah, he’s fine.” Axel shrugged. “He just got stuck with a couple icky jobs and I was sent here to try reasoning with you.”

Xaldin hummed, nodding in understanding. 

“Alright then, reason with me,” he told Axel, heading to the back to gather more supplies. 

Axel didn’t move from his spot against the doorway, his eyes following Xaldin as he came out with more cakes. He swallowed, his fingers drumming anxiously against his arms as if he hadn’t expected to get this far. Xaldin side eyed him, but otherwise remained silent, allowing him time to work through his thoughts. 

“One last job,” Axel finally forced out the words. 

“No,” Xaldin responded without hesitation, his answer making Axel lean his head back with a heavy sigh. 

“It’s not a request,” Axel tried again, “you know that.”

“My answer remains the same.” 

With a groan, Axel put his hands out in front of him and objected, “You can’t--”

A chiming bell from the clock in the main shop cut him off, signifying to them that it was time to open. Xaldin shortly glanced over at Axel before heading to the door. 

“What could be so great about this place that you’d risk everything?” Axel asked once Xaldin reached the front.

Xaldin paused, his grip around the lock of the door.

What was it about his new life that warranted such a risk? 

Letting out a breath, he told him, “If you wish to continue this discussion, you will wait until the end of the day,” 

“Oh sure,” Axel scoffed, trying to keep his voice down as customers entered the shop, “and exactly what am I supposed to do the whole day while I wait?”

“There’s an extra apron in the back,” Xaldin replied simply, his gaze focused on the customers eyeing the treats encased in glass. 

Axel’s nose scrunched up, his eyes showing a mixture of amusement and annoyance all at once. It was an expression Xaldin remembered making many times as a child, when given the same proposition by his father. The thought brought the slightest smile to his face and a soft exhale of breath. 

Xaldin’s attention was taken away from his visitor, instead focused on the line of customers that was swiftly forming inside his bakery. Axel watched for a few minutes, remaining against the doorframe with his arms back in their crossed position. He attempted to appear aloof, but Xaldin could feel his stare of interest. With a wistful sigh, Axel eventually pushed himself to the back, grumbling under his breath about how he didn’t know how he ended up in situations like this. He came back to the front with his hair tied back and a white stained apron around his hips. 

“I get free treats for helping, right?” he asked, picking up a chocolate iced cupcake and taking a generous bite.

Xaldin’s brow lifted, his expression straight as Axel devoured the sweet treat with tiny crumbs falling to the floor below.

“As long as you stay out of trouble,” Xaldin replied, gripping Axel’s arm and pulling him towards the back, “and eat out of sight.”

“Fair enough,” Axel agreed, licking his frosted covered fingertips. 

Rather than help, Axel lounged against the long metal table that served as Xaldin’s cake decorating station. Xaldin paid him little mind, going back to the front to serve the awaiting patrons. His hard expression softened, a subtle smile across his lips as customer after customer came through, praising his craftsmanship and expressing their condolences over his father’s passing. 

There was something tranquil about it… something normal. 

None of them mentioned his disappearance or knew of his darkened past. They simply cared about the decadent treats and shared their stories and smiles as they discussed what dessert to choose. It was a stark difference from the dreary life in the Organization. 

A pair of young girls placed an order for a custom decorated cake, something Xaldin was well used to. He escaped to the back, barely passing a glance towards Axel as he went to grab a plainly iced cake. Axel’s eyes followed him as he nibbled on a cookie and Xaldin wondered if he’d have any remaining stock by the end of the day if Axel continued to eat at his current pace. 

“What’d they ask for?” Axel asked, watching as Xaldin began filling a piping bag with purple icing.

“Simple lettering,” Xaldin informed him, piping out the cursive along the top.

“Oh? And what does it say?” Axel asked, leaning over his shoulder to peek. “Congrats on not being in the gang anymore? Or maybe, hope you don’t die tomorrow?”

“Hilarious,” Xaldin mumbled under his breath, seemingly unaffected by the snarky comments as he finished the birthday message. 

“Thinking about it, maybe I want to order a cake like that,” Axel pondered aloud, his hand to his chin while Xaldin headed back up to the front with the finished product. 

The day continued in a similar fashion. Xaldin managed the front while Axel made snide comments about the cakes and customers, all the while eating any sweet treat he could get his hands on. Each custom order Xaldin created, Axel leaned over his shoulder, watching him pipe and letter various things. After a while, Xaldin paused, letting out a heavy breath. 

“Would you like to try?” he asked, finding amusement in Axel’s responding stammering. 

“W-What, me?” Axel asked, his voice raising an octave before he cleared his throat and waved him off. “I mean, I don’t think you want me showing you up. Might compel me to open my own bakery right across the street from you. Then where would you be?”

“Most likely still here,” Xaldin told him plainly. “I can’t imagine a bakery run by you would be anything less than disastrous.”

Axel gawked for a moment, nearly missing Xaldin’s laugh rumbling in his chest. 

“Well gee, thanks for the vote of confidence,” Axel snarked in reply as Xaldin went back up front. 

Xaldin brought his attention back to the awaiting patrons, filling in their orders and making pleasant conversation, until Axel’s voice made him pause. He looked over to see Axel sweet talking a couple of customers, talking them into buying the same type of chocolate cupcake he had eaten a few hours prior. Axel noticed the stare from Xaldin and flashed his signature smirk. 

“Stay out of trouble,” Xaldin reminded him under his breath, continuing to take orders. 

They fell into a rhythm together and Xaldin couldn’t deny that there was something nice about having someone else there working alongside him. It was familiar. He had gone on several missions with Axel when he was part of the Organization. They rarely failed their given tasks and knew their strengths. Each person in the Organization worked well together, their leader wouldn’t have had it any other way. But to work in a setting together where there was no violence, nothing at stake… It showed Xaldin that there was still a humanity inside of them. Even if that humanity was simply making sweet treats to bring joy to others. 

Hours passed in the blink of an eye. The sun lowered, painting warm hues of orange and reds across the sky and dousing the shop in gold. The final customer left the shop and Xaldin followed them to the door, bidding his farewell before closing the door and turning the lock. He remained there for a moment, knowing that Axel would be returning to their discussion left unfinished from the morning. 

Throughout the day, he still hadn’t come up with a thorough explanation for his decision. 

Was he really prepared to risk everything-- even his own life-- for the sake of his family’s legacy?

“Ya’know,” Axel broke through his thoughts, “I think I have an idea where you’re coming from.”

Xaldin blinked. He hadn’t expected that, let alone from Axel, who had always blindly followed orders without question. Looking out into the town from the window, Xaldin didn’t reply at first. He watched the families gathering their things, scurrying back to their homes and out of the town square as the shopkeepers swept and tidied before locking their doors. Without knowing when it had happened, Axel was beside him, joining him in overlooking the town. 

“I can’t remember the last time I made someone smile,” Axel told him, “like genuinely, you know?”

Xaldin nodded wordlessly. 

“Helping out today, seeing those people get excited over something simple like a cookie or a cake, made me---” Axel’s voice trailed off, his hand over his chest. 

“As if you had a heart again,” Xaldin finished for him, his chest heavy as everything began to make more sense. 

He knew why he was risking everything. 

“Yeah, that,” Axel agreed, ruffling his hand through his hair as he undid the tie holding it back, “And-- I heard a bit about your dad. I had no idea.”

“That’s why I came back here,” Xaldin told him, running his hand along the door as he looked over the etched glass that held the family’s name of the bakery. “To fulfill my legacy that I have squandered for far too long.”

Axel blew out a breath, undoing the apron around his hips and tossing it over the back of a chair. 

“You aren’t exactly making this easy on me, you know,” he told Xaldin, his hands on his hips and he looked towards the back of the bakery. 

“I know,” Xaldin admitted, “but my decision remains the same.”

“Yeah, I figured as much,” Axel sighed, scratching the side of his head, “but--uuh, I might be able to talk to the boss. You know, get you off the hook somehow.”

“I’m sorry you have to have to deal with it on my behalf,” he apologized, keeping his gaze fixated on the window. 

He couldn’t face Axel. He couldn’t face anyone in the Organization that he had left behind. 

“Hey, I don’t blame you for getting out.” Axel shrugged. “That’s the dream, right? You had the chance and you took it. We can take care of ourselves.”

Xaldin’s chest tightened, but he nodded all the same. 

“Plus, maybe that’ll be the motivation the rest of us need to get out,” Axel added.

“I never knew you considered leaving,” Xaldin looked over his shoulder at him. 

“Heh, yeah, I hadn’t either,” he admitted, averting his gaze from Xaldin’s. “Today sort of lit a fire in me, guess you could say.”

“Then I’m honored,” Xaldin told him, meeting his eyes and smiling. 

Axel smirked in return, before looking away and clearing his throat.  
“Anyway, guess I should head back,” Axel pointed over his shoulder towards the back. “Boss will be wondering where I am and I’m already late as it is.”

“What will you say to him?” Xaldin asked. 

“Ah, I don’t know yet,” Axel shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck, “But that’s what the journey back is for, right?” 

“Be careful,” Xaldin advised him, walking him to the back door before handing him a bag of cupcakes, “For the others.”

“What do you know? Our own personal chef.” Axel chuckled, looking inside the bag, “Watch out, you’ll have Roxas over here begging for scraps.”

“I’ll happily give them to him,” Xaldin told him with a breath of amusement. 

“I’ll let him know,” Axel smirked, before his expression softened and he let out a breath, “Good luck with this place, and with everything else, alright?”

Xaldin simply smiled in return, unsure how to respond. It was a real, defenseless moment between them; something he rarely saw within the ranks of the Organization. Axel smirked back, saluting as he turned and disappeared down the alleyways. Xaldin was left alone, standing in the doorway, contemplating the choice he had made. There was no telling how their leader would respond to it, nor how the others would try to defend him, if they would. 

All Xaldin could do was know that he had made the right decision. 

By following his heart.


End file.
